A recently released video reveals the tense moment when a Delta Airlines passenger jet collided with a parked aircraft at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport in May.
The footage, obtained by FOX 8, shows the Delta jet inching toward a gate to disembark passengers when it attempts to navigate past a stationary Spirit Airlines plane.
As the Delta aircraft approaches the terminal, it clips the parked Spirit jet, causing damage to its wingtip. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the incident. However, Delta Airlines has confirmed that the plane sustained damage. “Aircraft are not designed to bump into each other like that,” said Robert Katz, a commercial pilot and flight instructor, in an interview with the outlet. Katz emphasized the need for a thorough inspection of the planes involved.
“Examine all the component parts that could have been impacted, directly, and also indirectly. Their function, their reliability, and their performance can all be compromised. Everything on an airplane serves a purpose,” he added.
FAA investigation and similar incidents
Although the incident occurred in May, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is still reviewing the case, according to FOX 8. The FAA has not yet commented publicly on the ongoing investigation.
The collision at Cleveland Hopkins is part of a troubling trend of similar incidents at airports across the United States in 2024. In February, two JetBlue planes collided on the tarmac at Boston’s Logan International Airport, disrupting travel plans for passengers. One of those passengers, Dave Souter, was en route to Las Vegas for a Super Bowl event when the incident occurred shortly after the aircraft pulled away from the gate.
Near-miss at JFK and other recent close calls
In another alarming incident in April, a Swiss Air jet nearly collided with four other planes at JFK Airport in New York. The near-miss occurred after a communications error resulted in multiple planes being cleared to use the same runway simultaneously. The Zurich-bound Swiss Air flight, which had been cleared for takeoff on April 17, was forced to brake abruptly after noticing the mistake. The FAA is still investigating this near-collision. Just a day later, two packed passenger planes almost crashed at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport near Washington, D.C. In this case, air traffic controllers realized their error about 30 seconds after clearing both a JetBlue and a Southwest Airlines plane for takeoff on the same runway. The controllers urgently called for the planes to stop before a collision could occur.
Ongoing concerns and industry response
These incidents have raised serious concerns within the aviation industry about safety protocols and communication lapses. As investigations continue, industry experts are calling for heightened vigilance and more robust safety measures to prevent future accidents. The FAA’s ongoing reviews of these incidents are expected to provide further insights into the causes and potential solutions to these critical safety challenges in the aviation sector.